(Not So) Orindary Life
by Christa Weald
Summary: A dramatic Wild Power story. Witches who aren’t witches, dragons, soulmates, Night World spies in Daybreak, Daybreak spies in Night World, unlikely soulmates, kidnapping, blackmail, torture, the end of the world....
1. Part 1

Author's notes: This was formerly titled Blood and Darkness but it has changed slightly. I've noticed a few fics cropping up that seem to be making fun of the clichés in Night World fan fictions, so I've decided to do one on Wild Powers. I think I've got everything. I haven't included a slash element, but if I get requests for slash, then I'll add slash to it.   
  
  
Part 1  
  
"And what, exactly, are we going to *tell* this girl when we find her?" Lareina demanded of Garret.  
  
Garret sighed heavily. They knew the girl was on her way to town, every Night Person probably knew who she was, but as far as they were aware, the girl herself had no clue.  
  
"We just have to make sure *they* don't get to her first," Garret said patiently.  
  
It was the standard Daybreak drill. Find the important Night Person before the Night World could.  
  
"But this time it's different, right? If we don't get to her before them, the world could end." Lareina folded her arms across her ample chest. It was quite obvious she didn't believe him. "How do we even know that this is right girl?"  
  
Garret sighed a second time. Lareina's constant questions were starting to irritate him. "Look, the orders came from head office, from Thierry Descouedres himself. So it's obviously got to mean *something*." He didn't know fore sure if they were right. He just took the message, passed it on to Lareina, then they completed their assignment.  
  
To him this was something of a surprise. He hadn't paid much attention to the prophecies before now. "You don't believe that she's really the one, do you?"  
  
Lareina walked over to the window and looked out at the lights of the town below. "No. Quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing about the whole Wild Power thing. This person's the last Wild Power, that person's the last Wild Power. Every time it's been a bust. I don't think they're ever going to find the right person and there's never going to be a millennium battle. I won't believe it until I see the Blue Fire in action myself."  
  
For a Daybreaker she was extremely cynical sometimes. Then again, not all of them were singing about love and harmony and hope and all that. He wasn't. He agreed with the principles, but he didn't sing about them.  
  
"We can't just grab this girl and say 'Hey, by the way did you know you're the last line of defence the human world has against an evil secret society'," Lareina went on moodily. She gave him a sideways look. "Unless you plan on seducing her."  
  
Garret glared at her. "Looks aren't everything." Granted, seduction was a method he'd used before when looking for other girls. They couldn't seem to resist him with his summer blue eyes, long natural blue-black hair, and pale skin. He wasn't that big for a guy, but it was never a problem, not for a vampire. Not his personal choice, but he hadn't gotten a say in that, he was a lamia, a born vampire.  
  
  
Lareina on the other hand was a shapeshifter, she had been born and raised a Circle Midnight witch. She had gotten involved with a Night World shapeshifter, only the relationship had ended when he'd tried to eat her. She'd escaped and been rescued by Circle Daybreak, only now as a shapeshifter. She still had her witch powers, but they weren't as strong as they used to be.  
  
"She'll be starting school on Monday, I've already made sure she's in some of our classes," Garret said, standing up and heading over to the door.  
  
"What a surprise," Lareina said dryly. "What's her name, anyway?"  
  
"Sati. Sati Meyer." Garret handed Lareina a crumpled photo before leaving her alone.  
  
He walked quickly through the streets of his home town, Oak Hill, Kansas. The moon was round and full, a faint red circle seemed to be hovering around it. Supposedly a sign of trouble. He found his keys and opened the door to his house.  
  
He went inside pushing the door shut behind him. He switched on the downstairs lights, wondering if he felt like going to bed yet. It was only ten thirty. When he headed into the lounge, he stopped dead. Three figures stood in front of him. The gorgeous woman who was the leader of the group smiled.  
  
"Hello Garret," she said. "You didn't think we'd forget about you, did you?"  
  
* * * 


	2. Part 2

Part 2  
  
"Not another bloody Wild Power!" Elisabetta whined, staring at Orion in disbelief. She was so sick of hunting down supposed Wild Powers. Most of them usually turned out to be lost witches. Everyone on her team was also pretty tired of trying to solve the "witch who wasn't a witch" mystery as well.  
  
"Supposedly this one's the real thing," Orion said, flashing her a dazzling smile.  
  
Elisabetta's dark eyes rolled. So were the last - how many? - four girls they'd hunted. Two of them were dead. The other two were now working as Night World agents. Not that it was going to be much help. So far this whole end-of-the -world thingie didn't seem to be going very far.   
  
"What makes you so sure that is girl's the Wild Power?" she said tiredly. Elisabetta was starting to wonder if Circle Daybreak were getting as sick of looking for this person as they were.   
  
She knew she wasn't the only Night Person bored with Wild Powers. Why couldn't something new come along?  
  
"The orders came from the Night World Council, they seem pretty sure," Orion said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.   
  
Elisabetta even found herself smiling as his lips started moving down his throat. "Don't even *think* about biting me," she said in sing-song voice.  
  
"Oh come on," Orion muttered, his tongue running over her neck. "Just a tiny sharp pain..."  
  
Elisabetta squired out of his arms, resisting the urge to punch him in the face. "Dream on. So where are we heading this time?"  
  
"Kansas."  
  
Elisabetta barked a laugh. "You've *got* to be joking."  
  
Orion flashed another of his dazzling smiles, pausing in front of a mirror to admire himself, his nicely chiselled features, blond hair messed up attractively right. "Sorry Dorothy, there's no place like home, right?"  
  
Elisabetta's eyes rolled. "You're not from Kansas." She shook her head, wondering how she'd ever managed to get herself paired up with a jerk like Orion Redfern. They had been working together for almost two years. Still, he managed to drive her nuts with his high-school-jock attitude. Granted, they were still both seniors, but from a Night Person, and a Redfern at that, she would have expected more from him.  
  
"What's the story with the girl then?" Elisabetta asked, looking at the picture Orion had given her.  
  
"Don't know. They just said they wanted her no matter what the cost. Her name is Sati Meyer."  
  
Elisabetta tossed the picture to one side. The girl looked like your average girl-next-door type. She doubted the girl would turn out to be anything more. It seemed to be a total waste of time.  
  
"They already know, don't they?"  
  
Orion nodded. "Apparently they've got Garret Redfern on their search-and-find mission."  
  
Elisabetta was surprised. "Your brother? I thought he was dead." Well, at least Garret would provide them with something of a decent challenge.  
  
"That's not going to be a problem, is it?" Orion was looking at her with narrowed eyed. "You won't hesitate to kill him if necessary?"  
  
Elisabetta just glared at him, Okay, so she'd messed up once, and he'd never let her forget it. When Garret had disappeared she had convinced herself that he was dead. How foolish of her. Now he had shown up again, working for *them*.  
  
"No," she snapped. "Leave it."  
  
Orion looked at her for several minutes, then nodded. "All right. The flight leaves at nine tomorrow morning."  
  
Elisabetta sighed. Great. Wild Powers and Garret to worry about. "Who's he working with?"  
  
Orion shrugged. "Lareina Somebodyorother. A shifter."  
  
Name didn't mean anything to Elisabetta. Competition had never been much of a problem for her before. Garret had resurfaced after hiding for almost two hundred years, then. Now he was a Damned Daybreaker.   
  
Didn't mean he had to stay that way.  
  
* * * 


	3. Part 3

Part 3  
  
Why Kansas? What the hell was there to do in Kansas? Particularly the area they were moving to. There was one bar/club hang out, a tiny movie theatre, a high school, an elementary school, a handful of shops, some apartment buildings, a handful of regular houses, some snobby mansions, lots of fields and highways, that was *it*.  
  
Sati had grown tired of whining about why her parents had chosen to bring her here - in the middle of the school year as well. They had been very secretive about *why* they were coming here. They had left Washington D.C. and come here. Just like that. Which made Sati more than a little suspicious.  
  
"Maybe they're bringing us out here to join some corn cult," her sister Star complained, from beside Sati, glaring at the corn fields that surrounded them.  
  
"We'd have to go to Nebraska for that, wouldn't we?" Sati snorted.  
  
"What's the diff?" Star said with a shrug. At least Star was the same age as Sati, so she wouldn't be alone in starting school tomorrow. Her parents had always been very blunt on the fact that she was adopted. They said they would rather tell her early on, than have her find out later and react badly.  
  
Then again, she had been seven at the time she had come to live with the Meyers family, so what was missing? She didn't really remember anything before then.   
  
"Well, here we are!" Mom said cheerfully as the car pulled up in front of a white frame-house with a SOLD sign sticking out of the front yard.  
  
The house itself wasn't all that bad. There was a double garage, and a pool out back. It was two stories, with a reasonably sized kitchen, a lounge and a dining room downstairs, there were four bedrooms upstairs.  
  
Sati picked the one with blue wallpaper. It was nice enough without needing to redecorate. She had to share a bathroom with Star, but she supposed she could live with that.  
  
Moat of her large furniture, bed, dresser, wardrobe, had already been moved in. She sat on the bed for a few minutes, looking out the window to the view of the pool out back, and the fields beyond, stretching out to the horizon.  
  
She dropped her backpack and headed downstairs to help with the rest of the packing when she heard voices.  
  
"What happens when we start school and they recognise her?" That was Star,   
  
"She doesn't need to know. Not yet, anyway." That was Mom.  
  
"If the Black Fire awakens...if *they* find her first..." Star sounded almost worried.  
  
"There are hardly any of *them* out here. That's why we came," Mom said, trying to sound reassuring. "Thierry is sending two of his best agents to collect her, and when the time is right, they'll tell her everything."  
  
Star was silent for a minute before speaking. "Who's coming?"  
  
"Garret Redfern and Lareina Morrigan, I believe their names are."  
  
"Do they know who the other half is? Black fire, plus blue fire equals the Wild Power. 'One from the twilight to be with the dark'."  
  
"You think that's two people combined?"  
  
"Could be." If anything Star sounded a little jealous. "At least Sati gets her soulmate preordained."  
  
Mom chuckled. "I'm sure you'll find yours someday."  
  
Soulmates? Wild Power? Blue Fire? Black Fire? What the hell was going on? And how come Star had never mentioned this before? Who the hell was Thierry and why was he sending people to come and collect her? *What* were they going to tell her?  
  
Questions were rampaging round Sati's mind. She had always been suspicious about the move, and now they had been confirmed. Something weird was going on. Involving her. Only she had no idea *what*.  
  
It sounded like some kind of crazy fantasy. Maybe they were all into those weird Internet role-play things. Sati was strongly starting to learn towards the freaky cult idea.   
  
She walked downstairs, making sure her expression didn't reveal she'd heard something she wasn't supposed to have heard. "Are we going to finish unpacking or what?" she said.  
  
"Of course. Why don't you two go help your Dad with some of the smaller boxes?" Mom said, her voice falsely cheerful.  
  
Star headed outside without a word. Sati wondered what her problem was. "What's up your ass?" she asked, irritated.   
  
Star turned to look at her silently for several minutes. "You overheard, didn't you?"  
  
Sati nodded. "Everything. Now either tell me what's going on, or I can find out for myself."  
  
* * * 


	4. Part 4

Part 4  
  
Garret stared at the woman standing in his living room, smiling at him like she was his oldest friend in the world. She was no friend of his. He was done with her. He'd thought he'd made himself clear on that.  
  
"What are you doing here, Pythia? How the hell did you get in?" he demanded, not smiling. He glanced at the two Night People behind Pythia. He knew it would be foolish to try and stake her with them around. He really wasn't in the mood for having the crap kicked out of him.  
  
"I got in through the sliding door at the back. You didn't lock it." Her tone was slightly disapproving. Like a locked door would present much of a challenge to a four hundred year old vampire. She took a seat on his couch. "As for what I'm doing here...I know you know who the last Wild Power is."  
  
Garret snorted at her. "And what makes you think I'm going to tell you?"  
  
"I expected you haven't lost your attitude problem," Pythia said with a heavy sigh, tossing back her strawberry-blonde hair.   
  
"It was over a hundred years ago," he said sourly. He'd made a few bad decisions which had ended up with dire consequences for him. He'd woken up in a Daybreak version of what nowadays would be called Rehab, and he was more surprised to find it had done him some good.  
  
He'd faked his own death to escape from the Night World and kept a low profile. Only now they knew he wasn't dead, and Pythia wanted him back.  
  
Pythia held something out to him It was a gold necklace, a delicate pentagram with a diamond in the centre hung from the chain. The gold chain was stained with blood,  
  
"You bitch," he whispered, forcing himself to contain the waves of fury and hatred sweeping over him.  
  
"She's nowhere near dead," Pythia said with a smile. "Yet, anyway. She doesn't even have to die, you know."  
  
So that was her sick little game, was it? Garret found himself sinking onto the nearest chair. She was using the life of the girl he loved more than anything in the world to threaten him with. If he didn't do what Pythia told him to do...he didn't want to *think*  
What would happen.  
  
~I'm sorry Dido,~ he thought. ~So sorry..."  
  
"I can see you're smart enough to guess what I want you to do."  
  
"We don't know if this girl really is the Wild Power or just another dead end," he said finally. Which was the truth, as far as he was concerned. How could he get this past Lareina? If he talked to her, would she understand?  
  
Dido was more important to him than some stupid Wild Power girl he didn't even know. The whole would could go to hell and it wouldn't matter to him, as long as Dido loved him. As corny as it might sound, she was the one who had made him see there was good in people, that Circle Daybreak's principles were worth fighting for.  
  
"Look at you," Pythia sneered. "You were almost as powerful as Hunter Redfern himself, and just as ruthless." She shook her head in disgust.  
  
"Drop dead," he snapped at her, not sure how much longer he could stand in Pythia's presence. Unfortunately, as long as she had Dido, she could make him do whatever she wanted.  
  
Which, of course, was the whole idea.  
  
"Now you can either give me the name of the girl and I can use my own methods to find her." She smiled unpleasantly. "Or you can bring her to me yourself."  
  
There had to be some way around this. It seemed so pathetic to just give up and give into her like this. He knew what Pythia's 'methods' were like when she wanted something. Whether he knew the girl or not, nobody deserved *that* kind of treatment. "I'll bring her to you," he said, his tone flat and dead.  
  
Pythia gave him a brilliant smile. "Good boy. I knew she could."  
  
Garret glared at her. "Where?"  
  
"Bring her here, we'll come and get her." Pythia and her companions left through the back door.  
  
Garret picked up a glass sat on the coffee table and hurled it at the wall. He grabbed the phone and called Lareina.  
  
"We've got a problem."  
  
* * * 


	5. Part 5

Part 5  
  
Dido struggled against the chains binding her wrists to the walls, tears, streaming down her cheeks. Her clothes were torn and bloody, her chocolate coloured hair hung limply down her back. ~Why aren't you coming to save me, Garret?~ she thought.  
  
What had she ever done to deserve anything like this? Up until two days ago she had had a normal life. She attended high school every day, had good grades, studied hard, she was popular, had a boyfriend who loved her...  
  
And two days ago a vampire had kidnapped her, and she had no reason why, chained her up in the basement and tortured her. Dido didn't recognise the blonde vampire, Pythia. She had taken the diamond pentagram necklace Garret had given her once.  
  
Was this one of Garret's ex-girlfriends? She knew he had been around for some time, 200 years or so if she wasn't mistaken.  
  
"Do you think he'll actually bring the girl here?"  
  
Dido stopped crying, straining her ears to listen. How could she contact someone to come and rescue her? No. Think about that later. Focus on what she was hearing now.   
  
"Of course he will." That was the woman, Pythia. She sounded extremely smug.  
  
"Isn't blackmail a little old and clichéd for someone of your stature?" another female voice said cautiously.  
  
Pythia laughed. "What can I say? I have a weakness for the classics. Maybe so, but did you see the look on his face?" Her tone changed. "He'll pay for what he did."  
  
"So that's where his beloved little princess comes in?" that was the guy.  
  
Dido wished she knew their names.  
  
"Naturally. Once we get the girl from him, she'll be of no use, so you two can do what you please with her." Pythia was back to being smug.  
  
What girl were they talking about? Another of Garret's girlfriends? How many ex's did he have? She was going to have to have a *talk* with him about that if she ever got out of here, alive that was.  
  
Obviously Garret had done something to really piss off this Pythia person, and she was looking for revenge. Dido forced herself to keep her eyes open as she heard a key turning in the lock. Pythia didn't seem to pleased to see she was conscious.  
  
"What girl?" Dido demanded, trying to keep the fear out her voice.  
  
Pythia eyed her with distaste as she struggled. "You heard." She shrugged. "I guess it doesn't matter."  
  
"You're going to kill me anyway. Those goons of yours got names?"  
  
"The boy is named Twig, the girl Jewel. Why?"  
  
Dido shrugged, wincing as the weight of the chains dug into her flesh. "Just curious. How many times am I going to have to ask why me?" She'd screamed, begged, pleaded for some answers, but nobody would answer her.  
They just laughed and hurt her more. Maybe being civil and not shrieking could actually do her some good. Get her some answers.  
  
"You don't know what's going on in the Night World at the moment? I thought everyone - even stupid werewolves like yourself could figure it out." Pythia was clearly surprised.  
  
Dido frowned. Of course she knew what was going on in the Night World. The end of the human world was supposed to come when the millennium came in about two months. It was October now, all the others had been found, they were just waiting for the fourth to show up.  
  
"And you think Garret knows who the forth Wild Power is?"  
  
"Not as dumb as you look, are you?" Pythia smiled unpleasantly. "I *know* Garret knows. He and that stupid partner of his are looking for her, and are supposed to take her to Thierry and the Day Dorks. Only he's not taking her to Thierry. He's taking her to *me.*"  
  
Dido finally started to get the point. "You're a cold hearted bitch."  
  
Pythia laughed, a beautiful, musical sound that sent chills down Dido's spine. "Strange, lots of people seem to think that."  
  
~I wonder why~ Dido thought, but was smart enough not to say anything out loud. "I seriously doubt Lareina's going to let Garret take the Wild Power to you."  
  
Pythia sneered. "Lareina doesn't even believe the Wild Power exists. She couldn't care *less* about this assignment, why would she be bothered if Garret brings some girl to me?"  
  
Dido was silent. Okay, Lareina wasn't the most vocal Daybreaker she'd ever met. She was more cold and aloof than most. Which usually meant the aloof person was hiding something. Lareina wouldn't let Garret take a girl they were supposed to be looking for to anyone but Thierry without demanding some answers.  
  
Wouldn't she?  
  
Out of most of the girls Garret had worked with she found she liked Lareina most. Maybe it was because Lareina was a shapeshifter like herself and was used to being treated like dirt by other Night People. Surely she wouldn't vampires to take over in two months...  
  
"How do you know all this, anyway?" Dido asked, suspicious.  
  
Pythia just gave one of her irritatingly gorgeous smirks. "I have my sources." And with that she left Dido alone in the dark.  
  
Sources...a spy somewhere in Circle Daybreak. Oh great.  
  
* * * 


	6. Part 6

Part 6  
  
Sati waited expectedly for Star to start explaining herself. But Star just looked at her. "Um...maybe we shouldn't talk about this. Mom and Dad don't want you to know yet."  
  
Sati was tired of all the secrecy. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take. The rest of the day dragged on. Sati was finding it harder trying not to talk about what she had overheard.  
  
It wasn't the type of thing she could ignore. She didn't *want* to be taken off somewhere by people she'd never met. Or then again...maybe it was more exciting not knowing. Something was going to happen to her...could be soon. Could be dangerous...could be the best thing that had ever happened to her.  
  
"Enough with the third degree already." Star appeared in the door to Sati's new room. "Let's just tell them we're going to check out the town or something, come on."  
  
Sati eyed her sister, a smile pulling at her lips. "I didn't say a word."  
  
Star glared. "You don't need to. You want to know nor not?"  
  
"Sure." They decided to walk, rather than take the care. The moon was shining brightly, large and full, and somewhat eerie in the small-town sky-scene. It didn't take them more than forty minutes to wander about, learning their way around. It was one of those picturesque towns where everything was within walking distance and everyone probably knew everyone else.  
  
They found a diner and headed inside. It was almost empty. There were a few kids inside who looked their age, barely acknowledging them as they passed. "You gonna start talking or what?" Sati asked after they had ordered Cokes and fries.  
  
Star sighed. "Well...it involves secret societies, prophecies, and the end of the human world for starters."  
  
Sati blinked. "The end of the human *world*?"  
  
Several of the other kids glanced over at them. Star waved her hand. "Keep it down!" she hissed. And she started talking, telling Sati about a mythic society known as Night World, inhuman creatures living amongst humans and prophecies that had recently been discovered telling of the end of the human world.  
  
Sati listened, finding herself fascinated, despite how ridiculous it sounded. "So you're not human?" she asked in a low voice, pausing as the waitress came over bringing their order. They waited until she had gone before Star answered, "Hardly. I'm a witch."  
  
"So at what point do I come into all this?" Sati asked. Star had mentioned something about black fire.  
  
"Well...um...you're a dragon."  
  
"I'm a *what*?" Sati was finding it extremely hard not to snicker. She remembered thinking it was weird how blunt her parents had been about her adoption. She had always felt there was something missing. Her hand moved her forehead, to the three pointed lumps under her fringe. Her parents had always refused to let her have them surgically removed.  
  
"You heard me," Star said evenly. "You were given to us because the leaders of the good guys knew we'd keep you sage/"  
  
Sati shook her head, knowing she probably shouldn't be so amused at this, Star was probably being deadly serious. Some point soon it was all likely to hit her with the force of a physical blow that it was all real.  
  
"So what about the prophecies? You said something about black fire plus blue fire equals a Wild Power and a preordained soulmate?"  
  
Star sighed. She eyed the other kids, who were ignoring them again, carrying on their own loud conversation. As a group they stood up and left, barely glancing at Star and Sati.   
  
"There are two prophecies, one that states what will happen, and another that states where the Wild Powers can be found." She quoted: "In Blood the final price is paid/In blue fire the final darkness is banished/Born in the year of the blind maiden's vision/Four less one and the darkness triumphs."  
  
Sati eyed her. "Okay..."  
  
"Then the *other* prophecy is 'One from the land of kings long forgotten/One from the hearth who still holds the spark/One from the Dayworld where two eyes are watching/One from the twilight to be with the dark."  
  
"So what the hell does all that mean?" Sati asked. She didn't like the sound of the last line of the second prophecy. It sounded kind of creepy. And she didn't like the first one at all. I blood the final price is paid...She wasn't too fond of blood.  
  
"Basically, it takes blood to make the blue fire work, all the Wild Powers will be the same age, 17. The blind maiden is part of the witch council - maiden, mother and crone. She's eighteen and blind, but for her first year she had her vision. In that year the Wild Powers will be born. If the Night World get their hands on even one Wild Power, then the darkness will win."  
  
The waitress came over to take their empty glasses and the half eaten plate of fries that had been forgotten about. "That sounds like a really cool movie. You guys studying film making or something?"  
  
Sati opened her mouth but Star cut in before she could speak. "Yeah, it'll be our first big hit. We'll knock 'em dead at the Oscars."  
  
The waitress smiled. "Everyone's dream, huh?"  
  
Sati looked at her sister curiously. "What?"  
  
Star waved her hand dismissively. "One of the first rules of Night World is you can never tell a human it exists. They have to die if they find out. As long as she keeps thinking we're talking about a movie, it's okay."  
  
Sati sank back in her seat. It all sounded like the plot of a movie to her, as well. "So I'm one of these people who are supposed to save the world."  
  
"That's the story. Soulmates is a Night World concept - the idea that there's one perfect love for everyone and when you mean that person - well - you know they're the one meant for you."  
  
"And you think this person with the blue power to mix with my black power will be my soulmate, thus saving the world."  
  
Star shrugged. "That was my guess. We've already found three of the other Wild Powers, the land of kings, the heart with the spark and the Dayworld with two eyes watching."  
"None of these people are human, are they?" Sati asked. It wouldn't be very interesting if it was just every day people who were supposed to save the world.  
  
"Well, one's half human, half vampire, the Dayworld, from the land of kings is a vampire prince, and the hearth one of a witch, and then there's you."  
  
"The dragon and whatever my soulmate will be." Sati smiled dreamily. "I hope he's sexy."  
  
Star's eyes rolled. "There are more important things than looks."  
  
Sati sneered. "You're hardly one to talk."  
  
So now she knew about all of this stuff she wasn't supposed to know about yet...now what She didn't know anything about being a dragon or how to use these great powers she was supposed to possess.   
  
"When the Circle Daybreak agents come to take you, they'll train you and everyone."  
  
There was one thing Sati had forgotten to ask, "So what happens if the human world ends and the bad guys win?"  
  
Star frowned. "The vampires will rule, the world will be bathed in darkness and the human race will be enslaved."  
  
That didn't sound too bad to Sati. She wasn't human? Why did she have to use her powers for good to save a bunch of people whom she'd never met and wouldn't even be worth the risk? What if she didn't *want* to go with Circle Daybreak?  
  
Star checked her watch. "I guess we should go home now."  
  
Sati nodded. "You go, I'm gonna walk about a bit more." She left the diner (leaving Star to pay) and stood outside in the warm night, wondering what to do now.  
  
"Hi."  
  
Sati turned, briefly recognising the boy as one of the group from the diner. Sati eyed him. "Hi." He wasn't bad looking. Medium height, nicely muscled shoulders, casually messy brown hair, eyes that seemed to shift colour from minute to the next.  
  
"New in town."  
  
"Yeah. I'm Sati? What's you're name?"  
  
"Vincent. You don't want to go with the Day Dweebs. Trust me on that." He gave her a dazzling smile.   
  
"You heard?"  
  
"Don't need to. We all know you are."  
  
That was a slight surprise to Sati. Everyone knew who she was but her? She folded her arms. "And if I go with you...why should I?"  
  
Vincent grinned, teeth flashing briefly. "Why don't you let me show you?"  
  
* * * 


	7. Part 7

Part 7  
  
Star wondered if her parents would figure out the truth, that she and Sati had left so she could tell Sati who she really was. Maybe it had been a mistake...she should have gone somewhere more private.  
  
None of those other kids in the diner had looked remotely interesting. Nothing about them had struck her to say they were Night People. Then again, she couldn't be sure. God, how completely stupid had she been? She'd been blurting out Night World secrets and histories...  
  
Anyone could have overheard. They couldn't all be like that waitress thinking they were planning some sort of Spielberg-like movie.  
  
"It all depends on what *she* does with it, doesn't it."  
  
Star frowned at the deep voice behind her. She turned around, frowning at the boy who stood there. He was only about two inches taller than she was. His hair was an odd blue-black that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight.   
  
"Who are you? What do you know?" Star demanded, not sure if this person was someone who could be trusted.  
  
The boy smiled, just one corner of his lip lifting up, making him almost irritatingly gorgeous. "Enough, Well, enough that Thierry trusted me to bring the girl to him."  
  
Star eyed him with curiosity. This was one of the team Thierry had sent for Sati? "Who are you?" she wasn't going to be friendly until she was absolutely sure.  
  
"Garret. Garret Redfern. Someone must have mentioned that my partner and I will be coming for Sati?"  
  
Her mother had mentioned that. "So why not just approach her in the diner?" Star asked, folding her arms.  
  
"Because I wasn't *in* the diner. I heard some people talking that *she* was here. And as far as I was aware there's only one person coming to town that could fit the description they're talking about."  
  
Star wondered if she should be insulted. All this talk about Sati...It almost made her feel unnecessary and unimportant. "Oh. Shit. Were some of them..."  
  
Garret gave one of his infuriatingly handsome half-smiles. "No. They were Daybreakers. Or the ones I overheard were, anyway."  
  
"So...um...do you want to come and get her now or what?"  
  
"I've got a personal issue to deal with first. I'll see her sometime in school tomorrow." And with that he was gone, as if he'd completely vanished. It was a well known vampire trick, where they got their 'disappear into darkness' phase from.  
  
Star stared after him. What personal problem could be more important than the end of the world? Obviously something that had nothing to do with her.   
  
She shouldn't have left Sati alone. Not when she didn't know who was about in town. Just because this person said his name was Garret Redfern, it didn't actually mean he *was* Garret Redfern.  
  
And what did he mean, it all depended on how *she* took it? How Sati dealt with the knowledge of who she was, Star supposed. When she had been telling the story Sati clearly hadn't believed a word.  
  
How could they convince her it was all really true?  
  
"Hey, you new?"  
  
It was kind of late, but Star guessed with the town being so small there wasn't much else to do but hang around the streets. "Yeah." She turned around, inspecting these two people who stood behind her. The one girl was small with shoulder length coppery-red hair, the other slightly taller with a larger build and raven hair. Her eyes were a penetrating, hawk-like yellow.  
  
"I'm Star. And you are?"  
  
"Chimaera," said the coppery-hared girl. "That's Talaria."  
  
No surnames. Then again, obvious ones would give them away if they were trying to get information from her. Star waited for them to make some sort of conversation. They looked evenly back at her.  
  
"So...um...is there actually anything to *do* in this town?" Nothing that should give away who she was.  
  
"Hardly anything. The only decent club is about half an hours drive away," Talaria said with a snort, her hawk-like huntress eyes boring into Star's.  
  
~She's trying to read my mind~ Star thought. "Look, I have to be getting home now." She didn't care if she sounded rude or unfriendly, she just wanted to get away. These girls gave her the creeps. She wanted to get out of their presence.  
  
"We'll probably see you in school tomorrow," Chimaera called after Star as she walked away.  
  
Damn. There was probably no way she could avoid that.  
  
* * * 


	8. Part 8

Part 8  
  
"So you're going to blow the whole deal?"  
  
"I thought you didn't even believe this girl's the Wild Power," Garret snapped at Lareina. He had told her about Pythia and Dido. He'd thought she would understand. Instead...he dropped on the couch in her apartment, his head between his hands. He really didn't need her cynical bitchiness right now.  
  
"If I don't give Pythia the Wild Power, then she'll kill Dido." He looked up, his eyes pleading. He didn't know what to do.   
  
Lareina sighed, and sat down next to him. "I really don't know how to advise you on this one," she said. "End of the world balanced against your love life."  
  
"Put yourself in my position," Garret said, straightening. "You know Dido, you know what she means to me."  
  
Lareina was silent for a moment, thinking. Garret knew after her affair with that shifter she'd been kind of iffy on the subject of love. He supposed he couldn't blame her, but he really needed her help right now.  
  
"Okay, okay, I *do* understand," Lareina said, touching his hand lightly. "I'm sorting out an idea. I don't know how good it is."  
  
Garret eyed her curiously. "Any plan is better than no plan."  
  
"Okay, We find this girl we're supposed to, we get someone else, put a glamour on them to make them appear as the Wild Power. You take her to Pythia. The real Wild Power will be safe. And while all that's happening, I'll be rescuing Dido, while you and the fake girl kill Pythia."  
  
Garret frowned. It sounded pretty dangerous. They had to be absolutely certain that Pythia wouldn't see through the plan - or that they could actually find someone to agree to it - *and* that when they found the Wild Power, she was on their side.  
  
There were a lot of if, ands and depending ons in the plan. But as he'd said before, any plan was better than nothing.   
  
"I guess we could try that," he said finally.  
  
"Could you sound any less enthused?" Lareina snorted.  
  
Garret sighed. "Sorry, it's just...this is so hard." He couldn't even begin to think what might be happening to Dido at the moment. "So we have a plan. How the hell are we going to pull it off?"  
  
He stood up and started pacing around the living room. He didn't know hardly anything about witch magic, and for the task, they would need someone more powerful than Lareina. And a volunteer to pretend to be the Wild Power.  
  
"She has a sister, doesn't she?" Lareina said.  
  
Garret nodded. "Yeah. Star. Who's apparently just spilled the whole story."  
  
"I do hope you're kidding," Lareina said, staring at him.  
  
Garret shook his head. "On my way over here I ran into Demios and Galadriel who'd just come out the diner. They'd said that the girl and her sister were there and the sister told her everything. The waitress thought they were plotting a movie."  
  
Lareina threw up her hands. "Great. Could things get any worse?"   
  
The phone was ringing. With a heavy sigh Lareina picked answered. "Oh, it's you." She didn't sound too pleased. "*What*?" Obviously things *could* get worse. "*Who*?"  
  
Garret frowned. What was going on? Lareina kept *looking* at him in a peculiar way. "He's gonna *love* that." She sighed, and hung up.   
  
"Do I dare ask?" Garret's eyebrow rose.  
  
"Guess who's just been spotted in town."  
  
* * * 


	9. Part 9

Part 9  
  
Sati wasn't exactly impressed with what she'd learned of the Night World so far. Vincent had taken her to a club about half an hour's drive away and introduced her to some of his friends, a gorgeous French vampire Arian, a British shapeshifter Sirius, and two witches Chimaera and Talaria.  
  
Hanging out with them was really no different than hanging out with her old friends back home. They all noticeably looked a little better than regular humans. "So who was that girl with you in the diner?" Vincent asked.  
  
"Oh, that was my sister Star," Sati said dismissively. She wasn't exactly sure she wanted to say out loud, how do I be a dragon?   
  
"She seems kind of...aloof," Talaria said, frowning slightly.  
  
Sati nodded. "Yeah, that's Star all over." She paused. "I'm assuming she's on the - "  
  
"Day Dork side?" Arian supplied for her, his lip curving.  
  
Out of the whole group, he was the one Sati liked best, the one she found most attractive. She wouldn't object to getting to know him a little better. Star had mentioned something about a soulmate to be equal to her black fire....  
  
"Why'd you call them dorks?" she asked.  
  
"Because all they care about is getting humans and Night People together," Chimaera said with a snort of disgust. "They're basically..." She smiled angelically. "Dorks."  
  
"They don't understand that Night People are the superior race," Sirius said. To Sati, he seemed like the dark and creepy one of the group.  
  
"Superior?" Sati asked, finding herself liking these people more and more.  
  
"Naturally," Vincent said with a grin.  
  
"We're stronger, more powerful, and better looking," Arian added.  
  
~I see that~ Sati thought, giving him one of her best smiles.  
  
"You ever evaporated anyone with your blue fire?" Chimaera asked.  
  
"Evaporated?" Sati said.  
  
"It's what blue fire does," Chimaera said, leaning forward eagerly.  
  
"I've never even known about any of this until tonight," Sati said. She'd never even really believed Star's story. But now these new people she'd met now...they were really actually Night People. It was all starting to sink in. But if she was this last person to set things in motion....  
  
"You've never killed anyone, have you?" Arian asked, slipping an around her shoulders.  
  
"Not yet," Sati said, turning to him with a flirtatious smile. "But I'm sure you can teach me. Are there any other dragons around?"  
  
"There's that supposed 'witch who isn't a witch'" Vincent said, clearly annoyed that Sati was more interested in Arian than him.   
  
Star hadn't said anything like that to her. "I was told they'd found the third but what's a witch who's not a witch?"  
  
"Oh, when the third was found there was a dragon involved and he said he was woken by a witch who wasn't a witch," Talaria said.  
  
Sati still didn't get it. The dragons had been put to sleep by the witches thousands of years ago. Star had mentioned they'd left one alive because she was so young at the time.   
  
"It seems less than a coincidence, that it has something to do with *you,* Sati," Sirius said, his lip curled.  
  
Everyone else exchanged glances. Sati frowned. She felt kind of small and stupid not really knowing anything. "Um...look...it's getting late. Maybe one of you guys can take me home."  
  
"I will," Vincent said before Arian could.  
  
He and Sati left the club. He drove her home in silence. "So I'll see you in school on Monday?" Vincent said. "You're not freaking out, are you?"  
  
Sati gave him a slight smile. She was freaking in a minor sense of the world, but he didn't need to know that. She kissed his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said. Sati left his car before he could say anything else. She went in through the back door, which Star had left open for her.  
  
Star was pacing upstairs. She came into Sati's room. "Where the hell have you *been*?" she demanded,  
  
"I met some people. There was this really hot guy there, Arian, though the only downside was he's a vampire, but I can get used to fangs," Sati said absently. "He was just so sexy..."  
  
"Have you lost your *mind?*" Star snapped. "You're not even supposed to know, let alone go hanging around with sexy vampires."  
  
"He was French," Sati said dreamily. "He had this amazing blond hair and he was tall had...just...*wow*!"  
"Get *over* it!" Star hissed furiously. "You're meant to use your powers for *good*. Not evil."  
  
Sati was beginning to understand why the others referred to them as Day Dorks. Star didn't get it. And probably never would.  
  
* * * 


	10. Part 10

Part 10  
  
"And what happens when all this goes wrong and I get caught?" Lilah eyed Lareina and Garret, waiting to see if they would answer. They'd explained their plan and what was required of her. Pythia was going to be extremely interested to hear this.  
  
So far, as far as she was aware, they hadn't figured out who she really was yet. That idiot Dido wouldn't recognise her. She didn't know if the girl had seen her or not, but if her cover wasn't blown, it would be extremely helpful.  
  
"Most likely Pythia will kill you," Garret said sourly.   
  
Lilah glared at him. She didn't like him all that much, and couldn't understand Pythia's obsession with him. The need for the Wild Power was perfectly understandable. They only needed to get hold of one then the Night People would win. Eternal darkness. They would *finally* have control of the human world again. And the vermin and the idiotic Daybreakers would be slaves like they should be.  
  
"We're kind of hoping that won't happen," Lareina said, frowning at Garret. "Galadriel is going to do the spell for us. She's more powerful than I am."  
  
Garret stood up and walked over to the window of his house, staring out at nothing, his back to them. Lilah and Lareina exchanged glances. Garret wasn't doing a whole hell of a lot apart from making snotty comments.  
  
She supposed if Pythia was blackmailing her and torturing someone she loved, she'd be acting the same way Garret was. But still...  
  
"This is all depending on the fact that Susanna Meyer actually *is* the Wild Power *and* she wants to be on our side,," Lilah pointed out.  
  
"We *have* to have her on out side before we do anything," Lareina said firmly. "That's pretty much a given."  
  
"I suppose it doesn't really matter *what* side she's on, providing Galadriel's spell is strong enough," Garret said thoughtfully. "Once we get her to Pythia all we need to do is kill Pythia."  
  
Lilah was certain he was smiling at the thought of that. Pythia wasn't exactly the best thing since sliced bread in the Night World. She only worked for the Council. No one was quite sure who was running it now Hunter Redfern was out of the picture. The name of the new leader had been kept secret. Lilah wondered if she would really be all that shocked when she found out. She opened her mouth to speak but Lareina cut in before she could.  
  
"There's still a hell of a lot of what ifs in the plan, you know." From their expressions and the way they spoke, they clearly didn't have or couldn't think of another plan to rescue Garret's girlfriend. She also got the impression there was something else they weren't telling her.  
  
"Yeah, okay, I'll do it," she said finally. "Anything else I should know about?" Her eyes narrowed. Were they going to tell her or just keep it to themselves.  
  
"Watch out for Orion and Elisabetta," Garret said, his tone changing from sarcastic to annoyed.  
  
"Who?" The names meant nothing to Lilah. Maybe they would mean something to Pythia.  
  
"Orion Redfern and Elisabetta Blackthorn. Night People who work for the council, generally their families, but apparently they're working together now," Lareina said. She smiled faintly. "They're not exactly fond of Garret."   
"I can't possibly imagine why," Lilah muttered under her breath.   
  
"You might be surprised," Garret said dryly.  
  
Lilah doubted it, but didn't bother saying anything. She'd most likely just get another snotty come back line. "When do you want to do this?"  
  
"The girl starts school tomorrow," Lareina answered. "We're going to try and establish contact then. We'll give it three days - "  
  
"Three *days*?" Garret whirled around, eyes blazing with fury and something else - rage? Hatred? Pain? "Do you know what Pythia can *do* to Dido in three fucking *days*?" He looked angry enough to actually *hit* Lareina.  
  
"If we go right away then she'll get suspicious and everything fucks up. If everything fucks up Dido will die," Lareina said cooly, glaring at him, unafraid.  
  
"Think about it," Lilah said reasonably. "If you have easier access to something *she* wants, she's not likely to kill what *you* want. "~Yet, anyway~, she added silently.  
  
Garret just glared helplessly. "Fine," he hissed.  
  
Lilah didn't mention they were likely to fuck up and die anyway. They didn't need to know that yet. Surprises were always more fun.  
  
* * * 


	11. Part 11

Part 11  
  
"Do we have any sort of plan for how we're going to handle this?" Elisabetta asked, scowling as Orion drove around the tiny Kansas town of Oak Hill. It was 9:15 on a Monday morning and there was hardly anyone about on the streets. There were only two schools - a high school and an elementary school, a few shops and very little else.  
  
No one would ever guess there was a girl there with the power to save or destroy the world. But didn't towns like this usually have some sort of secret to cover up? Aliens landing, a psycho killer had been raised there, there was something *different* about some of the kids, they had three headed dogs or whatever the hell else. She couldn't possibly begin to imagine living in a place like this.  
  
"Not really," Orion said, pausing at a red light. "I thought we'd just cruise around and see what the town is like. Spy on her today, see where she stands. Do something to set the fire loose, then get her tomorrow."  
  
She frowned at her reflection in the rear-view mirror. Her raven hair cascaded down to her waist, shimmering in the morning sun, her skin was the flawless creamy white of orchids, her eyes the colour of sapphires. And Orion, with his own unnatural good looks....looking at them any one in an ordinary vermin town would instantly tell there was something odd about them.  
  
"How, exactly, so you plan on making sure this girl's really the Wild Power?" Elisabetta asked, smile curving her lips.  
  
"Why should I spoil the surprise?" Orion answered pulling up in front of the high school and driving past. He parked in a near by street.   
  
Elisabetta eyed him curiously. Normally he tended to leave all the planning up to her. It was rare he actually came up with ideas of his own. And if it actually *was* his plan, she'd be surprised.  
  
He got out the car, eyeing her. "You've got a face."  
  
Elisabetta glared. "Yes. I have. What's your point?"  
  
Orion's eyes rolled. "Don't be difficult."  
  
Elisabetta smiled a little. "Whatever. We can't just walk up there and look around?"  
  
Orion shrugged, striding along ahead of her. "Why not?"  
  
Elisabetta caught up with him. Was he totally stupid? She knew he had brain in his head, it would be nice if he actually used it sometimes. "Use your head once in a while, you idiot!" she snapped. "We're not local. And we probably look a lot better, more mysterious. Four new people in a small place in one day -"  
  
"Four?" Orion said, glancing back at her.  
  
"The Wild Power girl has a sister. She's starting today as well."  
  
"Sister?"  
  
Elisabetta nodded. As far as she knew the girl's family were supposed to be Daybreak witches. The girl herself was supposed to know nothing about her heritage.  
  
"Know what I heard?" Orion said casually. "Rumour has it that this girl is the Dragon Princess."  
  
"The who?" Elisabetta hadn't heard that one. Weren't dragons supposed to be extinct? She remembered when the third Wild Power had been found there was a dragon involved and from it came all the fuss of a 'witch who wasn't a witch'. So maybe dragons weren't as extinct as everyone thought.  
  
"Dragon Princess," Orion repeated. "She was the only dragon left alive because she was so young at the time the witches conquered them."  
  
Dragon Princess...no, it was far too fantasy-like. Finding the Wild Power was a hard enough task. It wasn't their job to find out who this person that could wake dragons was. It had to be someone pretty powerful - alive at the time? An Old Soul, maybe...never mind. It wasn't her priority right now.  
  
They were skirting the back of the school. Elisabetta's nose wrinkled at the students stuck in their classrooms. Night World should have special schools for Night People. After the millennium battle there would be no need for whining anymore, because the Night People would be in charge.  
  
"Let's go this way," Orion grabbed her arm and started pulling her off in another direction.  
  
Elisabetta glanced back, wondering what he was trying to prevent her from seeing. She stopped, yanking her arm free, recognising the tall, sexy figure with the long black hair. At that moment he turned to look out the window and saw her.  
Garret. It was Garret. He really was here. And very much alive. Or was alive as vampires could be.  
  
"Let's *go*," Orion said, glaring at his younger brother, not bothering to hide his hatred. Garret turned away from the window in what must be response to someone calling him.   
  
"We need to do something about him," Elisabetta said, finally letting him pull her away.  
  
"Yeah, we do," Orion agreed calmly. "Kill him."  
  
* * * 


	12. Part 12

Part 12  
  
Star was more nervous than she could remember being in a long time when she and Sati started school the following morning. She had no idea what to expect. She was normally so calm and confident.   
  
Sati, on the other hand, wasn't worried or nervous in the slightest, considering what she'd just learned about her self. "It's not the end of the world," Sati said with a snort, noticing Star's nervousness. "At least not until December, right?"  
  
Star glared. "It's *serious*! And keep your mouth shut. You're not supposed to know yet."  
  
Sati waved dismissively and disappeared with two people Star recalled seeing the other night. Sati introduced her briefly, the tall, sexy French guy Arian and the other one, medium height, typically high-school jock good looking Vincent. She knew they were Night People, but couldn't tell if they were Daybreak or not. She was smart enough to know not to ask.  
  
She found she shared English with Chimaera and Talaria, the two creepy girls she had met the other night. She had also seen Garret, the other guy she'd run into last night. He hadn't noticed her, seeming like his mind was on a different planet.  
  
At lunch she debated on looking for Sati, or hiding in the library rather than facing the cafeteria alone. She was used to always having a crowd on her heels and being the centre of attention. This was...it felt weird that no one knew who she was.  
  
"Excuse me, are you Star Meyer?"  
  
Star frowned, turning to see who already knew her name. There were two people in front of her, both tall and - well - beautiful was the only word she could think of to describe them. They were both slender, even the guy, with flawless faces. They both had long hair, the guy's a colour of auburn she had never seen before, reaching his shoulders, the girl's a raven black cascading to her waist. Her eyes were the colours of sapphires, his like chocolate pools. Despite the slender built, and long hair, he could never be anything but a guy. They both had a coolness and authority that demanded an instant respect. Star had never seen it from any Night Person before.  
  
"Yeah. I'm Star. Who are you?" She felt almost stupid asking them such a simple, everyday question, though she couldn't understand why.  
  
"Demios, that's Galadriel," the guy said. "Where's your sister Sati?"  
  
Star frowned. "Probably in the cafeteria." Her voice lowered. "I'm assuming you guys are Daybreak?"  
  
Galadriel nodded. "Yes. It's imperative we find her right now."   
  
Star followed them to the cafeteria. She looked around the crowds of people trying to point out Sati.  
  
"Crap," Demios said rather bluntly.  
  
Star glanced at him in surprise. Such a word coming from him didn't seem right somehow. He seemed almost too mature.  
  
"What?" Galadriel asked.,  
  
"That," Demios said, pointing to a group in the centre of the cafeteria.   
  
Star frowned, seeing Sati with her new friends Arian and Vincent, along with Chimaera and Talaria, and another creepy looking guy she didn't recognise. "I take it that's bad?"  
  
"Where the hell is Dawn? She's supposed to be there," Demios muttered moodily.  
  
"Have you met them?" Galadriel said.  
  
"Sati introduced me to Vincent and Arian, and I ran into Chimaera and Talaria last night. And someone else who called himself Garret Redfern."  
  
Demios and Galadriel exchanged glances.  
  
"Who's the other guy?"  
  
"That's Sirius Arnold. He's a shapeshifter."  
  
Star guessed they were Night People And from the sound of it Dawn was one of their spies.   
  
"Great," Demios muttered. "Barely three hours here and she's already walked into the lion's den."  
  
Star wasn't sure she liked him so much. Maybe he was drop-dead gorgeous, but he seemed arrogant and snobby.  
  
"Lighten up," Galadriel snapped at him. "Come on, Lareina and Garret are watching for us."  
  
Star followed them out the cafeteria to an empty classroom on the second floor. Already in the room was Garret, the tall and cute-but creepy guy who reminded her vaguely of Brandon Lee, and two other guys. One was about an inch taller than her with ruby-red hair, the other small with golden blonde hair.  
  
"That's Lareina," Galadriel pointed to the blonde, "and Dawn." She pointed to the redhead.   
  
"Why aren't you with the Wild Power in the cafeteria?" Demios demanded, glaring at Dawn.  
  
Dawn's eyes rolled. "Because Garret told me there was a meeting here."  
  
"You know the Wild Power's in the cafeteria with them right now," Demios snapped at her. Then looked around. "Where'd Dido?"  
  
Star frowned, noticing a spasm of pain crossing Garret's face. Dido must be his girlfriend. Star was immediately assuming this wasn't the singer. Something had must have happened to this girl.   
  
"Dido has been kidnapped - by Pythia," Lareina answered.   
"Explain how *that* takes preference over the end of the world," Demios said, folding his arms. "Dido's tougher than she looks."  
  
Garret looked up, anger flaring in his dark eyes. Star stepped in between them before a fight could start. "You might want to watch your attitude!" she snapped at Demios.  
  
Demios stared at her in utter disbelief. "You don't know who you're dealing with."  
  
"And I don't really care," Star snorted.   
  
"Knock it off, both of you," Lareina snapped. "Let me finish. Demios, back off."  
  
Demios muttered something under his breath. Lareina continued.  
  
"It takes precedence, because Pythia knows we know who the Wild Power is. Either Garret takes her to Pythia, or Pythia will kill Dido."  
  
"So what happens if Sati *is* the Wild Power and you take her to this Pythia person?" Star asked.  
  
"Then most likely Pythia will take her to the council and they'll kill her. Four less one, then win." Garret's tone was blunt.   
  
"Do the other Night People know about this?" Galadriel asked Dawn.  
  
Dawn shook her head. "They believe if they take the girl to the Council then they'll all get seats in the New Order after the millennium."  
  
"I'm confused," Star said. "Who's Pythia?"  
  
"Pythia used to have a seat on the Council. Somehow she lost it and she thinks this will get her back in," Garret answered.   
  
"Oh." Star got the impression than Garret and Pythia had been involved at some point. Something had caused him to change sides, and he'd fallen in love with Dido. Did Pythia want him back, or just to suffer, or what?  
  
"And problem two?" Demios asked still sulking.   
  
"Elisabetta and Orion have been spotted in town," Lareina answered.  
  
"That's bad?" Star asked, feeling like a broken record.  
  
"Very. It's - it's a long story," Lareina said, with an *I'll tell you later* expression. "The *good* news, if we have a plan to rescue Dido. And as for Elisabetta and Orion, I don't know."  
  
"How good are you at fighting?" Dawn asked Star.  
  
"Fighting?" Star wasn't a fighter by nature. Only if required.  
  
"You know, vampire hunting?" Dawn's smile was unpleasant.  
  
Star found herself smiling. "I've done that before. But...um...aren't you supposed to be a Night World spy?"  
  
  
"I'll go with you," Galadriel said with a smile of her own. "So that's settled."  
  
"Garret and I will deal with Dido and Pythia," Lareina said. "Demios, can you try and get Sati on our side?"  
  
"All right."  
  
Star wasn't too pleased about that. She didn't like the idea of him and Sati getting involved. He was too much of an arrogant bastard, she'd decided. Maybe it was the looks and power thing that made him that way. Whatever. She didn't like him. But she decided not to say anything out loud.  
  
The bell was ringing. Before Garret left Star caught his sleeve. He frowned at her. "I want to talk to you about this plan thing. I don't want my sister dead."   
  
He nodded and walked away. Star had the feeling she wasn't going to like this plan of theirs. Someone was going to end up dead.  
  
* * * 


	13. Part 13

Part 13  
  
Star wasn't nervous at all starting school the following morning. She had super powers, after all. What was there to be nervous about? (Well, maybe the fact she didn't know how to use her powers, but she was sure she'd find out sooner or later.)  
  
Star on the other hand, was unusually quiet. Sati guessed she hadn't met anyone last night. Luckily for her, she already had a set of friends. Heads turned as she sauntered down the hall. She was pleased to find she shared maths and chemistry with Arian and Chimaera, English and French with Talaria, study hall with Vincent, and I.T. with Sirius. There were two other guys in particular that caught her eye. One was in her maths class, he was tall with black hair that had a natural blue shimmer. Almost all the class he had seemed vague and distracted (and incidentally, gorgeous). The second guy she saw at lunch when she was sitting in the cafeteria with the new gang and Star had come in with two of the most striking people she had seen outside of Hollywood. The guy was tall (what *was* it around here with all the sexy guys being tall with long hair? Was it some sort of requirement to be classed as sexy? Or was she just noticing because it was her personal taste?) Anyway, he was...she could thinking of a word to describe him. She had to force herself to look away before he caught her going all drooly.  
  
"Who *is* that?" she asked.  
  
"Demios Blackthorn and Galadriel Harman. They're Day Dorks."  
  
"Oh." Star was disappointed. "And the guy with the blue-black hair?"  
  
"A waste of space and time," Vincent said dismissively.   
  
~Another Day Dork from the sound of it~ Sati thought. "So what'd you guys do for fun around here?" There had to be more to this town than met the eye.   
  
"Pretty much what we did last night," Talaria answered.   
  
"Occasionally we go into the city to hunt," Arian said with a cruel smile.  
  
"Hunt?" That sounded slightly more fun to Sati.  
  
"Of course. We have to feed." He grinned, showing perfect white teeth.  
  
Ah. So vampires really did drink blood. She wondered what Dragons ate.  
  
"So if I'm supposed to have tall this super-power, how do I use it?" she asked. "Star said something about blue fire plus black fire equals a Wild Power."  
  
"Keep your voice down," Sirius said sharply. "Do you know what the penalty is to humans who find out about us?" His smile was unpleasant.  
  
Sati frowned. She didn't like him much. There was definitely a creep factor about him that made her flesh craw. "I have the feeling you're going to tell me."  
  
"Death. To those who found out, and those who told."  
  
"Jesus, lighten up," Chimaera snorted. "He's got that Cloud of Gloom thing down pat."  
  
Sirius's eyes narrowed. "If I told you what you had working for you...well..." His lip curled. "I'd better not."  
  
Chimaera glared at him and muttered something rude under her breath.  
  
"Still waiting for instructions on how to use my powers," Sati said impatiently.   
  
"We'll have to experiment on that one," Vincent said, grinning at her. "Info on dragons is scarce."  
  
Sati didn't protest as Arian's arm slid around her shoulders almost possessively. His expression was blank, but...not...in a weird way. She noticed a look being exchanged between Chimaera and Talaria. He was marking his territory?  
  
"They're supposed to be extinct," Talaria explained. "So we can - "  
  
The bell rang. Damn. Sati was annoyed. Just when they were starting to get somewhere. Typical. Sati wondered where Star had gotten herself to. Someone had to know something about dragons. What was the fun of being all powerful if you couldn't use your magic?  
  
Throughout the afternoon she noticed people glancing at her with funny expressions on their face. Most of them tended to avoid her. Sati didn't get it. She had always been a people-person. She didn't like being alone.  
  
"What's up with that?" she asked Chimaera.  
  
Chimaera frowned. "They're the Day Dorks. They know who you are and aren't happy you're friends with us and not them."  
  
"Oh." Sati was disappointed to see Star seemed to have latched on to them rather than the group she had chosen to hang with. She recalled Star and her mother mentioning something about someone coming to pick her up - Garret Redfern and Lareina Keller.  
  
And to think she had thought moving to Kansas would be dull!  
  
* * * 


	14. Part 14

Part 14  
  
"They're going to *what*?" It was the most absurd plan Pythia had ever heard.  
  
Lilah shrugged. "You heard. They're getting some witch to be a fake Wild Power while they take the real one to safety, and Lareina rescues Dido."  
  
Pythia shook her head. She should have known - she *did* know - Garret wouldn't meekly agree to her plan, despite the threat on Dido's life. Secretly, she would have been very disappointed in him if he had. But this plan of theirs...it was ridiculous.  
  
At least Lilah had been kind enough to come and inform her of all the insane details.  
  
"Have they got the Wild Power on their side yet?" she asked.  
  
Lilah frowned. "Um...no. I saw her with Vincent and Arian and their group."  
  
Pythia cursed under her breath. That wouldn't do at all. Not for her getting *her* council seat. No doubt Vincent thought he and that idiot friend of his could seduce the dumb bitch into staying with them.  
  
Why couldn't she be attracted to Garret like most sensible girls?  
  
"What are they going to do about it?"  
  
Obviously the Day Dorks weren't going to stand around and watch those two seduce the girl anymore than they would sit around and let Pythia kill her.  
  
"Well, I know that Dawn's their spy in the group."  
  
"Dawn?" That actually came as a surprise. Dawn had always struck her as too much of a bitch to be a Daybreaker.  
  
"Uh-huh. They've asked Demios to try to get Sati on their side. Lareina and Garret are supposed to be taking her to Thierry Descouedres and the other Wild Powers."  
  
Pythia sighed. Great. She'd never known a girl be able to resist Demios when he turned the charms on. Daybreak, Night World, human or other. She had of course, known Garret was supposed to be taking the girl to Thierry. Which was something she most certainly didn't want to happen.  
  
Twig was lounging in the doorway.  
  
"What?" Pythia asked, not sure she liked the expression on his face.  
  
"There are two new Night People in town. They're hunting the Wild Power as well."  
  
Pythia's eyes rolled. Great. Could she *never* get a break? "Who now?"  
  
"Their names are Elisabetta and Orion."  
  
"Elisabetta?" Elisabetta had been one of Garret's girls, he'd just decided she was cute and he wanted to change her and had gone ahead and done it, during the time the council knew better than to get in his way. Pythia hadn't minded sharing, but Elisabetta hadn't been too keen on it. She knew that Elisabetta worked for the council now. Maybe she could convince her to work together, just this once.  
  
"Someone we know?" Lilah asked.  
  
Pythia shrugged. "Someone I used to know. She's on out side. I've never heard of the other one. Go get Jewel. Bring them both here," she told Twig, who nodded and left obediently.   
  
"What about this plan of Garret's?" Lilah asked.  
  
Pythia sighed. Maybe she should just kill Dido and say to hell with her. She was an irritating hostage as it was. But how could she get Garret? That was what she really wanted. Which meant at some point she'd have to put Elisabetta out the picture. She doubted Garret would be too broken up about that one.  
  
"Maybe there's some way to use the Wild Power's sister," Lilah suggested. "From what I've seen, they're pretty close."  
  
Pythia mulled the idea over in her mind for a few minutes. Dido didn't seem to be working for her at the moment. But maybe Star could turn out to be more useful. One life for another. Same basic plan really. Just a change of names.  
  
"Yes, okay, then, send someone to kidnap Star and we'll see how that one goes."  
  
* * * 


	15. Part 15

Part 15  
  
Did couldn't take anymore. She knew too much to keep to herself. Lilah was evil? She had actually *liked* the girl. And they were going to be kidnap an innocent girl. Garret had briefly mentioned someone named Elisabetta to her. He must be out of his mind right now, all the pain he must be suffering...  
  
If she didn't escape then they would all die. She couldn't let Pythia and her cronies do that. She liked the world the way it was. She shifted to her werewolf form. She could feel the weak iron chains that had held her helpless as human snap. A snarl came from her throat. Her legs and arms stretched, becoming shorter and more sinewy. Another howl split the silent air as Dido-the-wolf charged forward, her weight and strength knocking the door down.  
  
Find Garret. That was all that mattered to her. She looked around, but couldn't see anyone. She heard shouts of alarm, vulgar curses, all she wanted to do was get out. She ran faster with four legs than her pursuers with their measly human bodies. She charged left and right, taking short curs that only she knew. When she was sure she was safe she shifted back to human form.  
  
Her clothes had been torn when she'd shifted leaving her naked. But she didn't care. The sun was still bright and high in the clear blue Kansas sky. Dido hurried through the streets to Garret's house. ~Please be home, please be home~ she thought, banging on the door with both fists.  
  
"Oh my *God*! Dido?" It was Lareina.   
  
She charged inside. "Where's Garret?"  
  
"Garret's not here. He's with Star."  
  
"He's in danger. So's she. There's a spy...Pythia's getting Elisabetta..."  
  
"You're babbling." Lareina led her upstairs into the bathroom and switched on the shower. "You calm down and I'll go get Garret."  
  
Lareina left and Dido soaked herself in the hot, pulsing water, washing away the blood and gore on her body from a week's worth of Pythia's torture. Had Pythia been informed of her escape? Without Dido was bait, she didn't stand a chance of getting the Wild Power.   
  
But if she got that Star girl...  
  
She stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towelling-robe. "Lareina?"  
  
Had Lareina come back with Garret yet? She didn't want to be here alone. She didn't want to be recaptured.  
  
" - you *better* not be fucking with me - "  
  
"Garret!" She threw herself into his arms, clinging to him as if nothing could ever separate them again.  
  
"I don't see the - "  
  
Lilah. Bitch.  
  
"Kill her!" Dido blurted out, glaring over Garret's shoulder. She almost smiled at the look of shock on Lilah's face. "Kill her! She's a spy for Pythia. Kill her!"  
  
* * * 


	16. Part 16

Part 16  
  
Lilah stopped dead in her tracks. She stared in disbelief at the girl in the pink bathrobe screaming *kill* *her*! *Kill* *the* *spy!* Garret had gathered the girl in his arms and was holding her closely. "Are you - "  
  
"Yes!" The girl, who must be Pythia's ex-hostage, Dido. "I'm sure. I heard *everything*!"  
  
Lilah glared at them definitely, caught red handed. How the hell was she going to be able to. She turned to run, only to be caught by Lareina almost instantly.   
  
"One reason why we shouldn't kill you." Lareina asked, twisting Lilah's arm painfully.  
  
Lilah didn't say anything, glaring with hatred at Garret and Dido openly clinging to each other, their love for each other clearly showing in their sickening expressions. "Use your head," she sneered bitterly.  
  
"She killed someone close to you?" Garret asked.  
  
Lilah scowled and nodded. "Some vampire she made. She didn't like him cheating on her, even though he claimed they'd already broken up. She decided if I worked for her, I'd get to live. It seemed like a good idea at the time."  
  
She sighed, hoping to play on their sympathy to stay alive. She was just a poor innocent girl who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. After all, wasn't that what happened with her and Garret?  
  
"Point taken, I still don't think she should walk out of here alive," Lareina said icily.   
  
Lilah sighed. Playing on the sympathy thing when it came to love with Lareina was clearly not going to work.   
  
"She knows how to get into Pythia's fortress," Dido pointed out.  
"She has a point," Garret agreed.  
  
Lareina's eyes rolled. "You two are idiots."  
  
"And you're jealous," Garret snapped unkindly, which surprised Lilah.   
  
"Fine," Lareina hissed back, letting go of Lilah's arm. "Fuck you then. You deal with this. I quit." She stalked off, head held high.  
  
"Nice going!" Dido glared at Garret.  
  
Garret just shrugged. "This is all *her* fault." He scowled at Lilah.  
  
"Acting like a five year old is highly unimpressive," Lilah said like a snort.  
  
"Lareina told me you were involved with some other girl when she went to get you," Dido said to Garret.  
  
Garret frowned distractedly. "Um...yeah. Star." He looked around. "Where the hell is she?"  
  
The girl didn't appear to be around anywhere. Obviously Pythia had put the second part of her plan into action. Taking advantage of the distraction she hurled a blast of witch magic at Dido and charged out the door, running as fast as she could back to Pythia.  
  
Maybe there was some way she could salvage her gigantic fuck-up.  
  
* * * 


	17. Part 17

Part 17  
  
"Hey, are you Elisabetta?"  
  
Elisabetta turned at the sound of her name. She eyed the tall muscular boy with curly black hair. She had had the uncanny sense of being followed. Orion, of course had told her she was being paranoid. So far she wasn't doing too well on the make-Garret-hers-again thing. She'd only go along with Orion's killing him plan if there was nothing else left to do.  
  
"Yeah." She folded her arms, facing him boldly, showing him she refused to be intimidated. "And you are...?"  
  
"Twig. Listen, I have a proposition for you and your buddy Orion. How'd you like to hook up with the top vampire in town?"  
  
Elisabetta looked around the deserted town streets, the wide-open fields stretching to the horizon. The idea of 'top vampire in town' was almost laughable. "How the hell'd you get a decent number of Night People in Smallville?"   
  
Twig looked insulted. "We are *not* Smallville!"  
  
"And why am I guessing this has something to do with joining forces to get this Wild Power here in town?"  
  
"She's more than a Wild Power."  
  
Elisabetta frowned. Orion had said the girl was supposed to be the Dragon Princess, but she still refused to believe it. They had to kill Sati Meyer just to be sure, anyway. "I know that. What else you got?"  
  
Twig grabbed her arm and pulled her to an ordinary-looking Ford sedan parked at the side of the road. "Just shut up and come." She was a little disappointed he wasn't taking her off in a limo. It was what she expected after meeting top city vampires. They all seemed to be incredibly rich.  
  
Twig glanced over at her. "What were you expecting? A pick up truck?"  
  
"A limo, actually." The house they were arriving at was no mansion. Just an ordinary house that would be on any suburban street, anywhere. Two storeys, perhaps slightly bigger than some of the ones they'd passed. She guessed in a small town they had to be a little more discreet.   
  
She followed Twig inside, not sure what she was expecting, certainly not the gorgeous strawberry blonde who appeared in the living room. "Oh *God*!" she muttered, shaking her head.  
  
"Hello to you too," Pythia said.  
  
Elisabetta scowled. No doubt if Pythia was here then she would be after Garret as well. She had refused the whole threesome thing back then and wasn't going to go for it now. "Whatever you want the answer is no," she said bluntly.  
  
"Garret's already bringing the Wild Power to me," Pythia said smugly.   
  
"Garret's a *Daybreaker*," Elisabetta snorted. She kept her distance from Pythia, and her tone cold. She didn't like this woman.   
  
"I have something of his."  
  
Elisabetta frowned. Garret had a new girlfriend? That didn't really surprise her. He had already been a ladies vampire. So Pythia was blackmailing him. That didn't surprise her either. What did she want her and Orion for if she already had her bargain?  
  
"We don't have her anymore." A small girl with short brown hair appeared in the doorway.  
  
"This is Lilah, she's one of my spies. That's Elisabetta. She's a made vampire."  
  
"I thought she was a Blackthorn," Lilah said.  
  
Elisabetta shrugged. "I was made by a Redfern vampire, but the Redferns pissed me off, so I changed to working for the Blackthorns."  
  
"What'd you mean we don't have her anymore?" Pythia said, turning to Lilah, glaring.   
  
Lilah sighed. "She escaped."  
  
"You fucked up!" Pythia snapped. She threw her hands up in the air. Obviously something had blown Lilah's cover as a spy. Now Garret wasn't going to bring Pythia the Wild Power. She tried not to smirk *too* much.  
  
"Well if I said it was nice to see you again, I'd just be lying," Elisabetta said, and turned to go, only to be stopped by Orion and a black haired girl. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded.  
  
Orion shrugged. "Jewel said she'd hook me up with the head vampire in town." He gave Pythia one of his most dazzling smiles.  
  
Elisabetta sighed. "Hook up with that bitch and I'll report you to the council."  
  
"Oh grow up!" Pythia snorted. "So big of you, running telling tales."  
  
It took every ounce of Elisabetta's strength not to hit her. She knew from past experience it would be a very foolish thing to do.   
  
"We have a situation," Pythia said. "Dido has escaped and Lilah's cover has been blown."  
  
"Doesn't matter," the black-haired girl called Jewel said. "We've got something else." She took Pythia's arm and lead her to the basement. Elisabetta followed with everyone else. There was a small blonde in what looked like a new set of silver chains on the wall. Pythia always did love to have a dark dank room with chains and a hostage to play with.  
  
"Say hello to Star. The Wild Power's sister."  
  
* * * 


	18. Part 18

Part 18  
  
Galadriel opened her eyes and groaned. The last thing  
she remembered was...not a hell of a lot. She hurt all  
over, felt weak and drained. Her vision was swimming  
with darkness and coloured lights. Where was she?  
  
She sat up, wincing as a wave of nausea seared up from  
her stomach. She shuddered, wondering if she was going  
to be sick, but wasn't. All around her were tall  
things, yellow and pointy, leaves brushing her face,  
something trapping her ankles. Corn...she was in a corn  
field. ~What the...where are the Children?~ she thought  
absently.  
  
But she felt sure she wasn't starring in some crappy,  
made-for-cable-laughably-bad horror movie. She pulled  
herself to her feet, trying to get her bearings. The  
stars were still swirling above, her vision not quite  
settled.  
  
The image of stars brought something back to her  
mind...a person. Medium girl with brown hair and green  
eyes. Something about a prophecy...and prophecies were  
generally never very good news.  
  
She managed to make her way to the main road,  
wondering how far out of town she was. She looked down  
at herself to see she was a mess. Her clothes were  
dirty, ripped. Her black hair was a tangled, bushy  
mess. She could see a signpost with the words OAK  
HILL, pop 254359 hand painted in black letters. The  
sign was at an odd angle, she noted absently. She  
reached into her pockets, and pulled out a small Nokia  
phone with a red case.  
  
She switched it on and searched through the address  
book. Looking at the names.  
Garret...Lareina...Demios...Dawn...Headquarters...Home...Mom...Mom  
work...Mom cell...Tristan...Heidi...Kirima...   
  
None of them seemed familiar to her. She frowned as  
she tried the first one, Garret. The only thing she  
remembered was her own name, which was a namesake for  
someone else, though she wasn't sure where it was  
from. It didn't really seem all that important.  
Galadriel waited for the number to dial.  
  
"Galadriel?" a male voice answered. "What happened,  
where are you?"  
  
"Standing outside the sign that has the town name on,"  
she answered. "Can you come pick me up?"  
  
"Sure...I'll be there in about ten minutes. Is Star with  
you?"  
  
"Um...no...I'm alone, my memory is a little fuzzy. I think  
I've might have been in a fight or something. I'm all  
bloody and dirty."  
  
"Stay where you are," whoever this Garret person was.  
"I'll be there ASAP." He hung up, Galadriel had no  
choice but to wait.  
  
* * *  
Garret sighed as he put the phone down. "As if things  
aren't bad enough. It seems like Galadriel and Star  
have run into problems. Star's gone and Galadriel's  
memory is fuzzy."   
  
Lareina's eyes rolled. "There's a spell I can do to  
deal with that, it's not that big a deal. You go get  
her."  
  
Garret looked over at Dido, who was sat on the couch,  
still in her pink bathrobe, cuddling him tightly. She  
was still shaken after her ordeal and he couldn't  
really blame her. She had told them everything she  
knew, they were going to get Star, and try to get  
Elisabetta and Orion to join them. And the idea of  
Elisabetta and Pythia joining forces was not fun.  
  
He sighed, wishing he had never been born a Redfern  
and introduced right off to family power. He'd enjoyed  
it while he could, but when he'd killed his own  
soulmate...  
  
He hadn't realised what was going on until she was  
dead in his arms. A friend of Elisabetta's, a simple  
witch, an easy meal was all he'd been thinking. When  
he'd taken the blood it had been unusually sweet...the  
telepathic connection amazing. He should have  
known...the girl...he didn't even remember her name...had  
tried to tell him...he'd ignored her, thought it was a  
trick to get him to let her go.  
  
It was only afterwards when he felt like he'd been  
severed from something, that she had been telling the  
truth. He had murdered his own soulmate. And he had  
never been the same. He'd faked his own death to the  
Night World, abandoned Elisabetta and Pythia and hit  
in the protection of Circle Daybreak. Granted, he  
wasn't one of their favourite people and it had taken  
almost twenty years to convince them he was on their  
side.   
  
He had come into the modern world quite well, and his  
heart had been stolen by Dido. Originally, she had  
kicked his ass, thinking he was a Night World vampire.  
She surprised him in lots of little ways, like that.  
Pythia had tried to use her against him...and she was  
going to pay for that. His eyes had narrowed,  
darkening with hatred. He wished he hadn't made her,  
or Elisabetta for that matter. But wishing wouldn't  
change anything. Action and two long wooden stakes  
would.  
  
But right now he had to go find Galadriel before  
any...he almost laughed to himself as he walked out the  
door. He'd almost said went wrong. What a cliché. The  
way this whole nutty Wild Power thing was going...of  
*course* something else was going to happen. Star  
appeared to be gone.  
  
There was something else that needed working out.  
Maybe they should form some sort of Daybreaker's Work  
Union for overtime, he thought as he got in his car  
and went to get Galadriel.  
  
* * * 


End file.
